Abortion
| Unlike in the U.S., where Christian groups dominate the pro-life movement, Chilean secularists play a big role in advocating for unborn babies

by Katlyn Babyak Posted 2/11/16, 09:57 am

Chile is one of a few remaining countries that prohibit abortion without exception. Illegal abortions carry a penalty of up to five years in prison. But pro-abortion advocates are chipping away at opposition to legalization and could soon celebrate a victory.

Marriage

by Katlyn Babyak Posted 11/02/15, 11:15 am

SANTIAGO, Chile—Chile’s Civil Registry made an exception last month to its ongoing strike to perform the country’s first civil union ceremonies for same-sex couples.

After 12 years of debate in the Chilean Parliament, President Michelle Bachelet signed the Civil Union Agreement into law in April, granting cohabitation rights to homosexual and heterosexual couples. The agreement also gives partners parental rights and health care and pension benefits but does not permit adoption.

Ministry
| Christian school in Chile teaches students with Down syndrome to say, yes we can

by Katlyn Babyak Posted 9/10/15, 10:48 am

SANTIAGO, Chile—In the Chilean culture, children with disabilities are seen as shameful, an embarrassment, a curse from God. But the South American country leads the region in Down syndrome births—1 in 400, making it increasingly more likely to have at least one child in an extended family with the genetic condition.

Some experts blame Chile’s delayed maternity, since the likelihood of having a child with Down syndrome increases with age. But the country’s pro-life culture also has an effect: Chile is one of the few remaining countries with an absolute ban on abortion.

Movies

Katlyn Babyak | 8/10/15, 03:25 pm

SANTIAGO, Chile—At almost every bus and metro stop in Chile’s capital city, commuters can count on seeing a poster for The 33. The Hollywood movie premiered in Chile on Thursday, the day after the five-year anniversary of the film’s inspiration, a mining accident that trapped 33 Chilean miners underground for 69 days. They set a new record for the longest time spent below the earth’s surface.

Hope Award
| A look at the finalists from our effective compassion competition in 2006

Jae Wasson, Katlyn Babyak & Onize Ohikere | 8/07/15, 01:00 am

This is the 10th year of WORLD’s awards programs for Christian groups that practice effective compassion, the kind that helps people rise out of poverty and not just stay in it. We wanted to see whether winners of our first year’s competition, in 2006, had overcome obstacles and persevered in their mission.

Persecution

Katlyn Babyak | 7/22/15, 04:10 pm

Jewish Holocaust survivor Lord George Weidenfeld plans to evacuate and resettle up to 2,000 Syrian and Iraqi Christians threatened by the so-called Islamic State (ISIS) terrorist network.

As ISIS claims territory in the Middle East, it continues to force Christians to convert to Islam, pay a tax, or face execution. The 95-year old founder of a successful British publishing company, Weidenfeld fronted most of the costs to start the Safe Havens Fund.

Race Issues

Katlyn Babyak | 7/15/15, 09:27 am

The recent battle over symbols of the Confederacy has hit the road. A two-month old Change.org petition to rename Virginia sections of the Jefferson Davis Memorial Highway reached 3,000 signatures last week.

Officials named the highway in 1922 in honor of the president of the Confederate states during the Civil War. The petition calls on Virginia Gov. Terry McAulliffe, a Democrat, the Virginia General Assembly, and the Commonwealth Transportation Board to rename all sections of Jefferson Davis Highway within the state.

Abortion

Katlyn Babyak | 7/09/15, 09:45 am

The Chilean Chamber of Deputies’ Health Commission postponed voting Tuesday to lift abortion restrictions after lobbying from Christian Democrats and other representatives. The bill, introduced by President Michelle Bachelet in January, would allow abortions on pre-born babies up to 12 weeks old in cases of rape, circumstances that threaten the mother’s life, or if the baby likely will not survive.

Euthanasia

Katlyn Babyak | 7/07/15, 11:03 am

Colombian officials approved the country’s first legal death by euthanasia last week. After a week-long legal battle, 79-year old Ovidio Gonzalez exercised his “right to die” at a medical clinic on Friday, ending his battle with terminal throat cancer.

Colombia became the first Latin American country and one of several countries worldwide to legalize assisted suicide in 1997. But the government delayed approving regulations until April, and no legal procedures were performed until now.

Cuba

Katlyn Babyak | 7/03/15, 08:50 am

The U.S. State Department and the Cuban government declared Wednesday that they would re-establish embassies in Cuba and Washington, D.C., but President Barack Obama might have to twist arms in Congress for cooperation. The Republican majority strongly opposes the move to restore diplomatic ties with the Communist country.